What benefits have you felt from HRT?

[Daffodildainty]

I’m 54 and just about to start HRT/ hoping it will help with insomnia, restless legs, night sweats, hot flushes and make controlling belly fat easier. What benefits have you noticed?

asked not Seed!

Just stuck my first patch on my bum... Dr told my to reapply Monday, given my low mood. Bone scans and xrays tomorrow. Aging is so much fun!!!

I hated it. It made my sleeping problems worse, made me angry and short tempered when I was mellowed before and made em put on 1/2 a stone in 2 months despite going on a diet just to avoid this.

I ditched it after 3 months and never felt better after I did. Insomnia has been the only thing I haven't been able to control but embracing mindfulness is seeming to make a difference. It no only helps me with sleep.ut reassessing life overall in a way that makes me much more in control and happier with the choices I'm making. So much better than pills for me. I say for me because like this thread, many of my menopausal friends swear by hrt (although quite a few put on quite some weight soon after starting it).

Sorted out night sweats, anxiety and fog. Feeling less tired in morning so a feeling of having a good nights sleep, so wake up quite alert.

Not sure on the tummy fat, didn’t see much change but I do a lot of exercise. My skin and hair improved massively.

hi Woolybackswife... yes I would go see a Dr. I know they look for breast cancer histories but not sure about other types (and I know I may be flamed here but my understanding after a lot of reading is that the BC links have mostly been debunked anyway).

Just like starting periods, stopping is a normal stage, and some people need to consult their doctor, while others sail through.
I was wary of HRT and side effects, and did some research before I saw my GP, but I was just so bone-crunchingly tired all the time, I decided that quality of life mattered more than quantity, and if I was sensible about watching out for side-effects, I'd take a chance......
I guess I was one of the lucky ones who were suited by the treatment. At my first revue, I asked my GP if she hadn't actually prescribed pep pills! The brain fog lifted, I still got tired, but "normally" iyswim, took the final years of a long career in my stride and I really didn't want to stop when I was obliged by GP saying I'd been on HRT long enough! Better skin, hair thickened up again; the only side effect, which passed, was that for the first few months, I was back on being uncomfortable once a month, as periods were phasing out when I started HRT, but nothing I hadn't been coping with since a teenager, not debilitating.
Given the chance, I'd take it again....

Hi there I’ve been on Elleste Duet 1mg for 6 days now and having terrible leg cramps pain and stabbing pain in sternum rib area should I be worried?

I'm just bumping this thread to ask for a bit of moral support and advice on how to proceed.

I saw a doctor this week and asked for HRT. My "worst" symptoms are insomnia and lack of libido. The doctor's initial suggestion was Nytol to help me sleep and some counselling to get to the causes of why I don't fancy my husband any more. 🤦🏻‍♀️ He flat out refused to prescribe HRT without a full blood panel first and even then indicated that my familial history of endometrial cancer would probably mean it wasn't suitable.

In the end he did prescribe a short course of sleeping tablets to kick start a healthier sleep pattern.

What else can I say to him? I need to make another appointment when my blood results are back and I don't want to feel as if my concerns are not being taken seriously.

Woolly. Is there another Doctor you can see? I think it will be a waste of time taking to the first one

It's a practice that I've recently registered with. They have plenty of doctors and I think I'd be happy with either of the senior partners but I don't know if I can request an appointment with a different doctor than the one that requested the tests.

I've been on HRT for 9 months - went to see the GP when the night sweats got to much, had a blood test and it confirmed that I was peri so was prescribed HRT. I didn't realise how many other 'symptoms ' I had...my sleep is far better, moods far better (I didn't realise how bad my mood swings had got) - in general life is now normal again without my understanding of how 'not normal' it had gotten

I'm thinking of HRT now, based on this thread. It's the night sweats and resulting lack of sleep, foggy brain and absentmindedness, as with a PP, worry I might walk into a car one day.

I'm also thinking of my joint pain which I assumed was me getting older but it is quite bad, didn't think it was hormonal.

Hot flushes, mood swings and crushing headaches all vastly improved.